When the Past and the Future Collide
by Lady of Gracen
Summary: Lady Abigail Roxton and her fiance Jamie Challenger seek to find the route back to the Plateau. The year is 2005 and it has been over 50 years since their families have gone back. When a storm strands them, they are rescued by Abby's great grandfather,
1. Finding Home

When the Past and the Future Collide

_(Author's note: The character of Finn has not appeared on the Plateau and does not exist for this story. I do not own the characters mentioned in the story (except for Abby and Jamie).)_

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**Chapter One.**

Lady Abigail Marguerite Veronica Roxton stood next to the tent looking up at the infamous Plateau. All her life she'd heard stories of her great grandfather's adventures there. Now it was her turn. Since the last journey into the plateau in the late 1950's, no one had gone back. Abby's grandfather and father did not have the adventurous spirit that Lord John Roxton had. They had dedicated their lives to building up the Roxton fortune and land holdings. When Lord Edward George Roxton, her father, passed away with no male heir, Abby, an only child had inherited it all. The land, money and her great grandfather's sense of adventure.

"Nervous?"

Abby smiled as a pair of strong arms encircled her waist and a soft kiss was placed at the back of her neck.

"Wouldn't you be? This is as much your heritage as it is mine." Abby tipped her head to look up into the green eyes of her fiancé, Jamie Challenger, the great nephew of Professor George Challenger.

"I'm a little nervous." Jamie gently bit her on the earlobe making her playfully swat his arm. "I don't like the look of those clouds."

Abby returned her attention to the clouds that seemed to form a protective barrier around the top of the plateau.

"I don't either but the route that they used to come and go to the plateau is gone. Damned man and his desire to ruin the rainforest coupled with earthquakes. Now we have to go and try to find it all like they did." Abby leaned back into Jamie's hard chest.

"We'd better get some rest then. We'll go up at dawn."

"I don't like the look of those clouds." Lord John Roxton said to Professor George Challenger as they stood on the ridge of the canyon trying to survey the valley below.

"Too much like the one that brought us here 3 years ago." Challenger agreed.

The two men stood side by side watching as the cloud formation churned above them. Suddenly a gust of wind blew a brightly colored balloon out from it's depths.

"That can't be what I think it is." Roxton asked.

"My God I think it is."

They watched as the winds battered the balloon around the skies.

"They can't get any control." Challenger watched helplessly. "They'll surely crash."

As the words came out of his mouth, a lightning bolt struck close to the balloon causing one of the support wires to snap. Roxton and Challenger both began to run in the direction the balloon was heading.

"Do you think anyone will survive?"

"If we did," Roxton replied watching the skies, "maybe they can too."

Abby opened her eyes and tried to take a deep breath. The pain in her side made her cry out slightly. She could hear voices, ones that she didn't recognize. Gingerly she reached out her hand until she came in contact with Jamie. She felt him stir slightly.

"Jamie? Can you hear me?"

"Unnnnhhhh."

Abby tried to focus on her surroundings. She and Jamie were still in the basket of the balloon but it was hanging from a large tree by the remains of the damaged balloon. When she tried to sit up the basket lunged dangerously.

"Hello up there. Can anyone hear me?"

Abby called out to their rescuers. "Yes, there are two of us here. I'm afraid we are in a bit of trouble."

"I'd have to agree with that." Another male voice called up. "We'll be up there in a moment to help you out."

"Okay."

Abby heard the tree branches rustle as if someone was climbing up the tree.

"Challenger, the lines are tied up pretty good, but I think I can loosen them to lower it down safely."

Abby froze; did the man just say Challenger? How could he know that Jamie's name was Challenger and why would he be talking to him? Had they been blown back down to the valley and missed the plateau all together?

"Okay now Miss, I'm going to cut the ropes. You're going to fall some, but you'll be landing in bushes. It shouldn't hurt too much."

"Gee thanks. Not too.." Before she could finish the basket fell another 20 feet to the ground and landed with a thump. Jamie moaned and landed next to her.

"Are either of you hurt?"

Abby didn't look up at the man speaking to her; she was too busy trying to find Jamie's pulse.

"Good, it's strong." She said quietly.

"I'd say he hit his head, looks like a nasty cut on his forehead."

Abby tried to stand, but the way the basket was damaged didn't give her the room she needed.

"Here, let me help you out."

Abby took the offered hand and stepped over Jamie and out of the balloon. The two men helped Abby pull Jamie from the wrecked balloon and set him down on the grass.

"I don't know how to thank you." Abby looked up at the two men and for the first time got a really good look at them.

She froze. "No, it can't be."

"Maybe you should sit down." The taller man with red hair gently took Abby's arm and led her to a felled tree. "Did you hit your head?"

"No. No, I don't think so." Abby kept looking from one man to the other.

"Do you know where you are?"

"I was trying to get to the Plateau." Abby replied. "The storm really tossed us around." She looked back to the man crouched down in front of her. "Please, tell me what year it is."

Challengers looked at Roxton and then back at Abby.

"It's 1913. May 10th to be exact."

"1913." Abby repeated and looked at her surroundings.

"I'm guessing from your manner of dress that you aren't from 1913." Roxton came to crouch down next to Challenger. "Odd things do happen here. Where are you from?"

"2005." She watched as the two men looked at each other.

"I believe some introductions are due." Roxton smiled at Abby. "I'm Lord.."

"John Roxton and you are Professor George Challenger." Abby said in a voice barely above a whisper.

"Well then you definitely have us at a disadvantage Miss.." Challenger seemed happy that Abby knew who they were.

"I'm…I'm.." Abby didn't know what to say.

"Can you remember what your name is?" Roxton asked.

"Yes. I'm Lady Abigail Roxton." She watched as Roxton's mouth fell open. "And that is my fiancé, Jamie Challenger."

The two men looked over at Jamie who was starting to stir.

"How? When? Who?" Roxton asked Abby.

Abby tried to swallow her heart, which was lodged firmly in her throat before answering. "I'm your great granddaughter sir. Abigail Marguerite Veronica Roxton."

"Great Granddaughter?" Roxton's blue eyes were wide as he sat back onto the grass and stared at the raven-haired young lady in front of him.

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To Be Continued 


	2. Meeting the Grandparents

Chapter Two: Meeting the Great Grandparents

"Great Granddaughter?" Roxton's blue eyes were wide as he sat back on to the grass and stared at the raven-haired young lady in front of him.

Challenger squatted down next to Jamie and looked at the young man.

"My God, he's the spitting image of my brother Edward."

Jamie opened his eyes and sat up quickly only to let out a groan of pain.

"Easy son. You've most likely got a concussion." Challenger put his hand on Jamie's shoulder.

"Who are you?" Jamie asked as he touched his forehead, his fingers coming away with blood on them.

"I'm Professor George Challenger."

Jamie let out a short laugh. "Right and I'm Santa Claus."

Abby stood up and walked over to Jamie. "Then that makes me Mrs. Claus." Abby replied as she reached into the balloons basket and took out the first aid kit. "They are who they say they are."

"They?" Jamie looked at Abby.

"That's my great grandfather." Abby nodded over her shoulder to where Roxton was just standing up and dusting off the seat of his pants.

"That's Lord John Roxton?" Jamie said surprised.

"That's me." Roxton offered his hand to Jamie. "And you are this young ladies fiancé."

Jamie nodded as he looked from Abby to her great grandfather. The similarities in their appearance were noticeable when the two were standing next to each other. Abby had the same olive skin and blue eyes as Roxton and Jamie couldn't help but notice that they both were standing in the same exact way, feet shoulder width apart with arms crossed over their chests.

"Well if you are her great grandfather;" Jamie looked from Roxton to Challenger, "You must be my great uncle."

Challenger's face split into a wide grin. "You look just like my brother Edward."

"Edward was my grandfather." Jamie stuck his hand out to Challenger. "Nice to meet you… Uncle."

Challenger swatted Jamie's hand to the side and grabbed Jamie in a bear hug. Jamie felt the breath pushed out of him and groaned.

"Sorry about that son, I'm going to guess that you also have some bruised ribs." Challenger helped Jamie to stand up. "Let's see what we can save from the balloon and head back to the tree house. It'll be dark soon."

"Tree house?" Abby said.

"You are familiar with it my dear aren't you?" Challenger asked.

"Yes, yes I am. I've heard, well we've both heard and read stories about it. In your journal's, in grand..I mean Roxton's and Ned's journals." Abby answered as she went about gathering things together.

Challenger looked over at Roxton who was quietly pulling out one of the backpacks from the balloon. Challenger knew Roxton well enough to realize something was bothering him. He could only imagine the questions that Roxton must have, hell he had enough to keep both he and Jamie talking non stop for hours. If Abby were Roxton's great granddaughter, then that was proof they would make it off the plateau. Suddenly, Roxton asked a question that stopped everyone in their tracks.

"Abby, if I'm your great grandfather, who is your great grandmother?"

Abby turned slowly to look into the mirror copy of her own eyes.

"Lady Marguerite Roxton."

(TBC)


	3. The Treehouse

(Note: Thank you to everyone who reviewed this and for your help. I did goof with the dates. **smacking my head here** But it was a goof that you guys caught and it actually helps me out…..So many thanks to you. I got addicted to the show while I was on the treadmill at the gym and now I'm hooked lock stock and sticking barrel. And please also note, this story takes place after the last episode and I do not have Finn in it. It would only serve to complicate my story.)

Chapter 3: The Tree house

"What could be taking them so long?" Marguerite straightened out the last of the books that had fallen to the ground.

"Challenger said they had to restock some of the things that were lost." Veronica replied. "I'm surprised that the tree house didn't blow up."

Marguerite didn't answer, she just raised her hand to her neck and tried to forget. It had been three days since she woke up on the jungle ground. Her last memory was crying out Roxton's name just before the Druid priests were about to kill her.

"Well I hope they get here soon." Marguerite said as she walked to the balcony to look through the spyglass.

"And that's all you remember?" Jamie asked Challenger as they walked ahead of Abby and Roxton.

"Yes, it was extraordinary. The room was all white and man and machine had traded places. Is it like that in your time? 2005 is it?"

Jamie chuckled. "No, not at all. While machines now can do things that man had once done at a slower place, believe me, machines do not rule men."

"And then you just woke up?" Abby asked trying to keep up with the two men in front of her who had longer strides than she did.

"The man was just about to … to make some sort of incision in my skull when there was a flash of gold light and the next thing I knew I was on the jungle floor again."

Abby turned to look at Roxton. "And you? Did something similar happen to you?"

Roxton only nodded. "Didn't you read about it in my journals?"

Abby stopped so suddenly that Roxton almost knocked her over.

"Look, I realize that you don't believe who I say I am, but I'm not lying. And no, you didn't write any of it down. There was a period of time that you were very vague and by the time I was old enough to read and understand the journals, you weren't around to tell me." Abby stood with hands on her hips looking up at her great grandfather.

"Well, that was harsh. You are most definitely related to Marguerite." Roxton stepped around Abby and moved ahead of Challenger and Jamie.

"Abby, you must give him time. Things aren't always what they seem around here and Roxton is a cautious man." Challenger told him.

"He's right hon, he'll come around. You know what to do, how to explain it all to him. It's the others that will be harder to explain it all to."

Veronica and Marguerite were just about to sit down to tea when the sound of the elevator coming up informed them that Challenger and Roxton were home.

"It's about time." Marguerite said as she stood up. "Looks like they brought company."

Challenger and Jamie stepped off the elevator first and sent it back down.

"And who is this?" Marguerite asked of the handsome tall stranger with Challenger.

"I'm Jamie Challenger. Nice to meet you." He said as he shook her hand.

"Challenger? Are you a relative?" Veronica asked.

"Yes, you could say that." Challenger said as he hung up his hat. "I think we should wait for Roxton before we explain everything."

"I'm here." Roxton stepped off the elevator and stood aside revealing Abby.

"And this is?" Marguerite looked at the young lady and felt a sense of familiarity. "Have we met before?"

"Oh, you'll love this Marguerite. This is Abby. Or shall I be correct in saying Lady Abigail Marguerite Veronica Roxton, your great grand daughter."

"My what?"


End file.
